The London Plan

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, published the Draft London Plan for consultation in June 2002. The Draft Plan will guide development in London over the next 15-20 years and the council's Unitary Development Plan will have to be consistent with it. The document covers a wide range of topics, ranging from affordable housing to waste, as it is a spatial strategy.

In order to inform the council's response to the Mayor, comments were invited on the questions raised by the key issues set out in the note.

The full council agreed Islington's response to the consultation at its meeting on September 19, 2002.

An 'examination in public' into the London plan took place in March and April 2003, and it is expected that the plan will be formally agreed early in 2004

The key points made in Islington's response are summarised below. The full response can be viewed by clicking on the link at the end of the page.

• Vision, Trends and Objectives
  The Draft London Plan seeks to accommodate high economic and population growth within London, without adequately considering whether it would be more beneficial to distribute growth elsewhere in the UK.

• Spatial Development
  It is not sustainable to concentrate growth in central London, where there is already high density and congestion. Instead the Draft Plan should direct growth so that it is spread across London.

• Housing
  The housing target for Islington is too high as it is not based on a proper capacity study to show that it can be delivered without causing damage to the environment or amenity of the borough.
  
  

  The density standards should be replaced with a criteria based policy, similar to Islington's, in order to ensure that the attractive amenity and character of residential areas are properly recognised and maintained.

  The approach to affordable housing is supported but there are funding issues that may make the target of 50% of all new development unachievable.

• Transport
  While the Plan recognises the importance of public transport it should offer more support for Orbirail and new stations in the borough.
  

  A policy promoting car-free and car reduced housing should be included.

• Town Centres
  Welcome the use of the sequential test for locating new retail and leisure developments.

• Open Space
  Generally welcome open space policies, but the protection offered to local open spaces should be more robust, reflecting Islington's approach.

• Waste
  That the recycling targets should not be increased without a corresponding rise in resources that would be needed to achieve them.

• Energy
  Support the objectives for energy efficiency within new developments.

• Sustainable Development
  The Plan could do more to achieve aims by including a requirement for new development to prepare a Sustainability Assessment.

• Built Environment and Design
  There should be stricter limitations on tall buildings so that local character and amenity are protected.
  More support should be given for locally important views.

• Implementation
  The Mayor should recognise that s106 powers lie with the boroughs and that monies from planning gain should be used to benefit the community affected by a development.
  
  

  For more information, click on the links to the council's summary and full responses to the draft plans, below.